FLOWER-BUDS AND FLOWERS 



SIZE AND SHAPE 



Flower-buds and flowers. 



Flower-buds offer the same marks for identi- 

 fication as are mentioned for leaf-buds. They 

 may usually be distinguished from leaf-buds, 

 being larger and less pointed, and, of course, by 

 their contents, if examined under a microscope. 

 Time of opening is a mark of distinction with 

 varieties that bloom very early or very late, 

 but it will be found that most varieties open 

 at approximately the same time. 



The flower of the apple gives opportunity to 

 identify through its characteristics almost 

 every variety; the flowers of the pear and 

 quince are of less use, but still are useful. The 

 size, shape, and color of the petals offer the 

 best means of identification in flowers. The 

 length, thickness, amount, and kind of pubes- 

 cence on the styles may distinguish varieties. 

 The styles of Tolman Sweet are covered and 

 bound together by dense pubescence not to be 

 found in any other variety. The styles of the 

 Howell pear are abnormally short. The calyx- 

 tubes, calyx-lobes, and pedicels differ mate- 

 rially. These structures in the flower, while 

 offering decisive evidence in identification, are 

 seldom used by pomologists, because characters 

 of plant and fruit may be studied during a 

 much longer time and are of greater cultural 

 importance. The stamens, however, afford a 

 more permanent means of classifying than 

 other parts of the flower. In the blooming 

 season, length, diameter, and the pubescence 

 of stamens may be noted, but much more im- 

 portant, taxonomically, is the position of the 

 stamens on the calyx-tube in the mature fruit, 

 these organs, or remnants of them, persisting 

 in the ripened fruits, as will be noted in the 

 discussion of characters of the fruit. 



Lastly, some varieties may be identified 

 during the blooming season by the distribution 

 of the blossoms on the tree. The flowers of 

 Rome Beauty, as an example, are borne on 

 the periphery of the tree, giving it an aspect 

 by which one may recognize the variety at 

 once. The flower-clusters of some pome-fruits 

 bear many flowers; others few; in some the 

 flowers are loosely arranged, in others com- 

 pactly. 



FRUIT CHARACTERS OF POMES 



If a variety is not noteworthy in the char- 

 acters for which the fruit is grown those 

 which appeal to the senses of taste and sight- 

 it stands small chance of being cultivated long 

 or widely. Varieties are generally known, 

 therefore, from the characters of the fruit 

 rather than those of the plant. Hence, especial 

 attention is paid to descriptions of the fruit 

 some pomologists characterizing almost wholly 

 from the fruit and saying little or nothing of 

 the plant. 



Season and use. 



Perhaps season is the first character, and 

 certainly it is one of the most important char- 

 acters to be noted in the ripened fruit By 

 season is meant the period in which a variety 



is in proper condition for use. Unless other- 

 wise stated, season has reference to the period 

 during which fruit is in condition for use in 

 ordinary storage, which of course greatly pro- 

 longs the natural season. The terms summer, 

 fall and winter, sometimes modified by early 

 or late, give the season with sufficient accuracy. 

 Keeping quality and shipping quality, both de- 

 pendent on several factors, are usually men- 

 tioned in connection with season. 



Rather closely connected with season is use, 

 the uses for which a variety is particularly 

 suited being indicated by several terms. A 

 market variety is one suitable for the general 

 market; a local market sort is one which does 

 not stand handling well enough for the general 

 market but is acceptable in local trade. A 

 dessert or table variety is suitable for eating 

 m the uncooked state; culinary, cooking, or 

 kitchen varieties are especially desirable for 

 culinary purposes. 



Size and shape. 



Among external characters of pome-fruits, 

 size is important, if several typical specimens 

 can be examined, but is often misleading be- 

 cause under the stress of environment abnormal 

 specimens may be produced. . Gradations in 

 size are expressed by the terms large, medium, 

 and small, modified by very, above, or below. 

 Used in connection with size, uniform signifies 

 that the fruits of a variety are generally of 

 about the same size. 



Probably no one character of pome-fruits is 

 more important in classification than shape, 

 especially since it may be used with reference 

 to immature as well as mature specimens. 

 In determining the shape of a pome, the fruit 

 should be held opposite the eye perpendicular 

 to the diameter from stem to calyx; or the 

 fruit may be cut longitudinally at its widest 

 diameter. So looked at, an apple may be 

 described as round, oblate, conical, ovate, 06- 

 long, truncate, or by combinations of these 

 and similar terms. If the fruit then be turned 

 so that the base or apex is opposite the eye, 

 or if a transverse section be made at the 

 widest diameter, it may be determined whether 

 the fruit is regular, that is if the transverse 

 section is circular in outline; elliptical, with 

 its sides compressed; or ribbed, angular, 

 oblique, with sides unequal or symmetrical, 

 all self-explanatory terms. 



The shapes of pears are even more used in 

 classifying that fruit than is the case with 

 apples. Besides the terms used in describing 

 apples, additional descriptive words are neces- 

 sary by reason of the common division of a 

 pear into two parts the neck and the body. 

 The neck is the narrow part bearing the stem; 

 the body is the more or less swollen part 

 crowned by the calyx. A pear is pyriform 

 when the curves formed by the body and neck 

 are concave; turbinate, or top-shaped, when 

 the body is nearly round with a short neck. 

 Ihe neck may be long or short, distinct or ob- 

 scure obtuse or acute. The body is usually 

 described by the terms used in describing 

 apples. 



